September 7, 2025 • 29 mins
Join host Lynn Hoffman with this classic music saved me replay with Brent Smith from Shinedown. Brent shares what music means to him and how important it is for the healing power of music.
Support the show: https://musicsavedme.net/
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Music Saved Me.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
We played in front of five people before, but we've
also played in front of five hundred thousand people before.
So it's that growth, it's that evolution, and I think
that there's an unspoken respect between this band and our
audience that we want them to be proud of being
(00:21):
a fan of this band.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
Welcome to the Music Save Me Podcast, a podcast about
the healing power of music. We are proud supporters of
Musicians on Call and we urge you to support them
by going to Musicians on Call dot org. They're a
fantastic organization. I'm your host, Lynn Hoffman, and today we
are fortunate, very fortunate to have an artist who leads
(00:44):
a band that makes amazing music and as also someone
who has really put his life's challenges out there for
the world to see and hear, which I always think
is just so amazing. Brent Smith is the founder and
lead singer of the rock band Shinedown, who have a
new album out called Planet Zero, which is fabulous. It's
a really cool way to put out an album with
(01:07):
all the It's almost like a throwback to the way
albums used to be made, really, because you want to
listen from the very beginning all the way to the end. Brent,
Welcome to the show.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
What is happening? It is so nice to meet you,
and I am unbelievably honored to be here today.
Speaker 1 (01:23):
Well, the feeling is mutual. How has music saved you?
Speaker 2 (01:29):
You know what, It's interesting every day it evolved for
me in a lot of different ways. I think that
it saved me because I mean I never started writing
songs because I wanted to be famous. I started writing
songs because I had something to say. But I, you know,
will lighten the mood sometimes with people and say, uh,
(01:49):
you know, writing songs and being a musician it was
cheaper than therapy, because you know, it was. It's just
it's something for me that it was all always there
for me from the moment I entered the earth. You
know what I do as being a singer, a songwriter,
(02:09):
a performer in this industry that we call the music business,
it's something that I take really seriously. So I always
knew what I wanted to do because growing up music
was such a huge part of my life and it
was whatever I was feeling at that moment in time,
you know, And as I was getting older and I
became a teenager into my twenties and so on and
(02:29):
so forth. Music has always been there for me, and
it's more built around the songs because I think of
music if you're talking about a specific instrument or what
have you. But songs, it's there's a message inside of
them because there's a lyric. And I think for me,
whenever I was dealing with something from a cerebral, you know,
(02:50):
point of view, or I was confused, or I didn't
understand something, a song would always come on and it
would it would open the door, it would it would
shine a light on what was going on in my
life at that point in time because it's constantly evolving
and I feel the same way. You know, even in
modern day music is constantly showing me beautiful awareness on
(03:17):
any given day.
Speaker 1 (03:18):
Do you do you believe that it has healing powers?
Speaker 2 (03:22):
Yeah, one thousand percent, one thousand I've watched it cure cancer.
Speaker 1 (03:27):
Really, can you give me the short story on that?
Speaker 2 (03:30):
I mean, so, the thing is, that's so extraordinary. So
our guitar player, Zach Myers, he works with Saint Jude's
and he has for going on the better part of
twenty years. And you know, Saint Judes uses music as
a as a huge tool, you know, in their research
and you know, taking care of these kids and doing
(03:51):
everything in their power to get them into remission. And
you know it, he gets so emotional talking about this
because he's an ambassador for Saint Jude's and uh, you know,
that's one aspect of it. Where like and also too,
we have a lot of people in our lives, uh,
you know, charities that we work with. You know, one
(04:11):
of the biggest, uh charities that we work with is
the a f SP, which is the American Foundation for
Suicide Prevention. And uh. But going back to your your
you know, your question on a daily like, music is
such a powerful instrument because when you're talking about disease
or you're talking about ailments of that kind, you know,
(04:34):
there's a biological element to that, a scientific aspect where
you know, one plus one is two. There can't be
another answer. And so music has this very unique way
of getting into the psyche and into the mind and
building your focus back and building your confidence back because
(04:54):
a lot of times people will forget that you have
your physical health, but your mental health is just as important.
So if you're down or you're you know, not feeling confident,
or there's all these negative things that could be happening.
You have to have a positive mentality, and sometimes it's
difficult to do that. But again, music always seems to
(05:16):
show up when you're at your lowest point sometimes and
you hear the right song at the right time, and
all of a sudden, you're you're right back in the game.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
It really helps you through some of the darkest moments. Sometimes.
I don't think people even realize how much music affects
them and gets them through things. You know, Yeah, if
it's just on in the background.
Speaker 2 (05:39):
Yeah, and it's astonishing too, how your ear will grab
the song in the background when it's relating to the
situation that you may be in. You know, we always
talk about how the We talk about how the universe
is real. It is and it will. You know, the
universe helps you kind of like gravitate towards the people
that you need to gravitate towards. And you know, as
(06:00):
your journey and your life is evolving, you know, present day,
you know, universe put us together today, it.
Speaker 1 (06:07):
Sure did, you know, And the universe puts your fans
right where they need to be too. I know that
they have played a key role in helping lead you
on the path to recovery. Can you just describe a
little bit about how that happens with your fans and
what that means to you.
Speaker 2 (06:24):
I think the biggest thing with the fan base is
that the fan base is constantly growing and evolving. We're
very proud that the audience from a global standpoint, it's
very much eight to eighty. So you know, there are
generations that you know, three and four generations that come
and see us play. And they've always just really been
(06:44):
open minded about allowing us to have a platform. But
the platform they gave it to us, but that platform,
they allow us to be ourselves and they allow us
to evolve. One of the biggest things that they've done
for us and they continue to do, is they're just
massively supportive of what we do in the studio when
(07:04):
we're making a new record. They they're not the type
of audience. There's so much respect between the band and
the audience with us. I've said this for years because
it's true. In Shinedown, we only have one boss. It
just happens to be everybody in the audience and inside
of that, you know, as we make these records. We're
(07:25):
very upfront with them about it, but we also talk
to them about what do they want to hear from us,
and you know, what records do they like the most?
And obviously they're sweet and they say we love them all,
but it's also too having that connection with them where
they understand that when we're asking them their opinions, we
actually mean it and we're actually listening to them. You know,
(07:47):
sometimes bands will get into that, or not even just bands,
because it's not necessarily about rock music, rap music, pop music,
country music. It's about all music. So you know, some
artists and some bands have a fan base that they
want them to do one thing like and they really
love the one thing that they do. And I can't
really speak on that because our audience allows us to
(08:09):
have and go down as many lanes as we want,
and they're just they're down for the ride. And that
means a great deal when you have a fan base
that not only supports you, but also allows you to
be yourself and as a musician and a songwriter, lets
you evolve because you don't. We've never we're not trying
to make the same record over and over again, and
(08:31):
we do our best not to write the same song twice.
Speaker 1 (08:34):
Now, it's interesting that you say that they're very forgiving
and let you kind of just go wherever you want
to go. You know, you've been making incredible music and
also writing for a long time and you've been through
a lot. How does it make you feel today after
all these years, when when your music still really connects
with people, when you can actually see it connecting with them,
(08:58):
or you hear from them and they tell you what
your music and songs have meant to them.
Speaker 2 (09:02):
Well, I mean, it makes me feel that I must
be doing something right. But again, too, I understand the question,
But there's also something else I should say that kind
of like brings this home inside of all of it.
Our success is their success, and and why I say
(09:22):
that is we've got you know, we have fans that
have been with us from when I say day one,
I mean day one, and have been on this journey
with us for two decades now. And then we have
you know, a fan base that they just found out
about us yesterday and they're kind of getting downloaded on
you know, all the records, and you know they they
(09:44):
heard one song or what have you, and you know,
now they're really into the band. But I think about
it from that aspect of it too, which is we've
played in front of five people before. That's the only
people that were in there. Sometimes, like back in the day,
(10:06):
early days, and you got to do that, like sometimes
you're just playing for the bartender and the door man.
And now as I talk to you today, though, I
say it like this. We played in front of five
people before, but we've also played in front of five
hundred thousand people before. So it's that growth, it's that evolution.
And I think that there's an unspoken just respect between
(10:31):
this band and our audience that we want them to
be proud of being a fan of this band.
Speaker 1 (10:40):
You're so transparent with this band, with your music, with
your life. How are you able to do that? I mean,
it's like when you put out an album, it's like
birthing a child, and you just put it out there
and everyone listens to it. Here's it watches your music
videos and you really don't have a choice but to
be judged. It's a difficult thing for most people to
(11:02):
share things like that. How are you able to do that?
Speaker 2 (11:06):
I asked for it, I asked for it. Yeah, I
am so unbelievably lucky that from the moment I entered
the earth, I knew what I wanted to do and
what I wanted to be. Like my granny, who is
still alive, she is such a profound influence on me.
(11:27):
But I you know, I remember she was always like,
find something that you love, and you're never going to
work a day in your life. Now. Don't get me wrong,
I work really, really hard. We all do, and we
try to work smarter, you know, as the years go
by too. But when it all comes down to it,
I asked for this, and I feel like I remember
(11:50):
growing up and seeing people, especially from a mental health standpoint.
I'm in a band that's been talking about mental health
for the better part of two decades, you know, before
it was in the media and it was put to
the forefront, which it is more so now. And that's
part of why it's necessary what Shine Down does, because
that's always been the overwhelming way that we look at things,
(12:15):
is that we want people to understand that these feelings
that you're having and where you're at in your life,
and you're allowed to evolve and have as many human
moments as you need. Or again, we're all a work
in progress. That's the whole point. Like, take a deep
breath and understand that the world that we're in can
(12:37):
be an interesting place to navigate and can be difficult
at times, but you're right where you need to be.
It's about seeing tomorrow and about focusing on that. And
you know, I don't talk about it very often, and
I know it's a connection that the fan base has
with us because of the lyrical side of the band,
(12:57):
But you know, I have a back ground with substance
abuse and it's kind of out there. People know about it.
I don't talk about it all the time because I
can mark, I can compartmentalize things, and I can plan
for the future. And I'm the one also in the
band that does a lot of the business outside of
the creative too. I can both sides of my brain
(13:20):
can work together. But I think about it from that aspect. Also,
you know that part of my personality is something that
I have to understand that I have to deal with
that on a daily basis, one day at a time.
Like I can think into the future and plan for
the future and put tours together and be multifaceted with
(13:40):
a lot of different people and have that structure and
have that schedule. But the addictive part of my personality
and the substance abuse part of my personality, that's something
I have to I have to remind myself that that
is one day at a time, because you know, I
tell people sometimes I didn't drink today, I didn't do
drugs today. I have no idea what I'll do tomorrow.
(14:03):
I just have to focus on that. But I will
tell you this, a very very close friend of mine
and this was something that kind of and it fueled,
It fueled my passion for really being present when we're
writing these songs and writing these albums and really focus
on how big of a platform that we have that
(14:24):
continues to grow because I'm I'm reaching a lot of people,
and I'm blessed for that and honored by that on
a lot of levels. But the most profound thing that
anyone ever told me when it came to that, and
I was in a difficult place in my life because
I was struggling with substances and what have you, is
and it was my friend Theresa, and this was in
(14:46):
the throes of addiction. It was not pretty at all.
It was bad. When I think back to it, I'm
lucky to be alive talking to you today in a
lot of ways, but she said, do you realize that
you are the most dangerous when you're sober? Like you
(15:09):
are the most effective and everybody around you truly loves you,
and they want to be with you, and they want
you to lead them, help lead this, but they don't
want to hang out with the other guy that's inside you,
that's trying to kill you. That dude's not trying to
help you, that dude's trying to end you. To her credit,
(15:30):
she put it in a perspective that I had never
thought about before. But she said to me, she was like,
you are the most dangerous when you are clear headed
and focused and sober. And I remember at that day too,
she looked at me, she was like, it's time to
get your head out of your ass and get back
in the game.
Speaker 1 (15:46):
What did you say?
Speaker 2 (15:48):
I was speechless. I didn't really, I didn't know what
to say. It was like getting It was such a
profound thing to say to me, and it was said
at Once Again Universe. It puts you with the people
you need to be with, and it gravitates you towards
those you've got to be open to the universe to
let it help guide you. I didn't need to say anything.
(16:11):
I didn't need I like she said it all, I
just had to put it into action.
Speaker 1 (16:16):
That's right. That's right. And you and you you have
and you you continue to and wow. I also I
feel like we had the same grandmother too, probably too.
That's a killer because you're you're always in the future
and then rewinding to now to try to figure out
how to get there. Yeah, it's not an easy place
(16:39):
to be, but but it's very rewarding if you can
take people with you and and help them through your
things that help you. It's just amazing. And speaking of which,
how important has it been for you? And thank you
for sharing that story because that's very personal and amazing
and just hearing you say that, what she said to you,
(17:01):
your friend, I think not only affected me, but I'm
sure people listening that hit home.
Speaker 2 (17:07):
So so yeah, it's all about sharing that. Yeah, it's
all about paying it forward.
Speaker 1 (17:11):
Yeah, you know, because you have this power and you've
got to use it for good and clearly you're doing that.
How important has it been for you to forge your
relationship with somebody like Jelly Roll, who has obviously faced
his own challenges and is triumphantly showing how he has
faced those challenges and helping others similarly as you.
Speaker 2 (17:34):
Well, the beautiful thing about it is that relationship between
me and him is it is very, very authentic and
again the universe, man, it'll guide you to people. The
thing about that relationship and jelly role is, and I
want everybody to know this, there is not a more
(17:57):
deserving human being on the planet with the amount of
success this man is seeing right now because he is
just an extraordinary human being on so many different levels.
And when you talk about real that dude, I'm gonna
tell you this right now, you know what's necessary. Jelly
(18:18):
roll is necessary that guy, and none of this has
happened overnight for him. And that's the other thing too.
I mean, me and him talked about this last year
when we were touring together. You've been you've been getting
ready your whole life for what's about to happen to you.
(18:38):
And you know, like when I met him. I met
him in twenty twenty one at Blue Ridge, and like
a lot of people, the very first time that I
found out about him was the song Saved Me on
YouTube and I was early on that I think I was.
I remember that song and it was the live version
when he was in the studio. It has like close
to three hundred and fifty million views now. But the
(19:01):
thing was is that I think I saw it when
it was only about one hundred thousand views or something
like that. But I was so astonished with what I
was listening to and watching with him, and then you
go kind of down the Jelly roll discography and man,
he's been he's been working at this for years, you know.
(19:24):
But when I met him in twenty twenty one, we
were playing Blue Ridge the same day, and so I
went to meeting face to face and we were just
talking and getting to know each other and what have you.
And I said, Hey, will you come up and do
Simple Man with us tonight on stage? And he said really,
And I was like, Yeah, let's go. And so he
and he's just an absolute natural. He is a natural performer,
(19:50):
and he is his energy is infectious, he's charismatic, he's
just he's just so good at what he does and
he genuinely it's all real, that that love that he
has for people, that wanting to help people, that understanding
that it's it's bigger than him, and that this life
(20:14):
of music that we've all been given in this industry,
you know, specifically for him, he respects it on every level.
But he came up there and he did Simple Man
with us, and we recorded it our videoographer Sanjay and
he it's got like five or six million views and
that's just on the stage like a handheld. And so
(20:36):
last year in twenty twenty two, and I had been
talking to him after you know, the Blue Ridge concert
and what have you. So at the top of last year,
I called him and said, I'm going to do a
tour this fall. It's going to be about forty shows.
It's going to be all amphitheaters, so between fifteen thousand
to twenty thousand people a night. Will you be main
(20:56):
support for us? And we brought another young man out
named John Harvey, who's an incredible musician as well and
great songwriter. But this was like February of last year
when I called him and asked him to do it,
and he was like yeah. And when I told management
and everybody too in the label, like we're going to
bring this guy named Jelly Roll out in the fall,
(21:18):
and everyone was like who is that? And I just
remember telling him, you need to trust me. Just trust me. Yeah,
And that whole time that we were out on tour together,
I learned so much from him on any given day
and we would have these moments and times during the day,
(21:40):
but he would as I told him, I said, you
can ask me anything you want while we're out there,
because at the time we were, I believe we were
the first artist that brought him out on a real tour,
meaning like it wasn't just like weekend Warrior stuff, like
it was a ten week tour. It was forty something
days and you were on the road and just he
(22:01):
would ask me questions and I was telling my experiences,
and he had a lot of for you know, foresight
with everything. And I welcomed that too, because I love
the fact that he cared so much about learning every
aspect of the of the industry and what he was doing.
But at his core, he is the realist of the
real and I am so I could not be happier
(22:25):
for another human being.
Speaker 1 (22:27):
Well, it takes one to know one A and B.
I smell a collaborative something in the future with you too.
Speaker 2 (22:35):
He's busy, He's a busy man.
Speaker 1 (22:37):
Yes, and so were you.
Speaker 2 (22:40):
Absolutely, but yeah, I could see something definitely in the
future one thousand percent.
Speaker 1 (22:44):
And you heard it here first. I was I always
wanted to say that. I don't know why. Who are
some of the artists besides Jelly Roll that helped to
lift you up when you were struggling? Can you remember?
Speaker 2 (22:55):
Yeah, I mean there's a lot. I mean I've been
We've been so lucky to have so many like pinch
me moments, like on tour with different bands of the
two decades that we've been doing this, but I mean
the tour that we just finished with Spirit Box and
Papa Roach. I mean the greatest thing about going on tour.
(23:16):
When you can go on tour with your friends, that's
when it's the best. Because you go out, especially like
in the summer when festivals are you know, festival season
and things like that. You see all your friends and
then you start to collaborate with each other and you say, well,
next year, let's do a tour together, and then it
you you know, then it happens and then it's like
summer Camp. It's the best, you know, But popa Roach
(23:39):
is a huge you know, you talk about a band
that just you you watch how incredibly talented they are
and how much and another band, another artist that you
know extremely necessary is Papa Roach and just nothing but
love and light and intense. And me and Jacoby have
(24:01):
always looked at it. We welcome that healthy competition when
when you're on tour together like bring your a game.
We love that because like it's so much better for
the audience because they're getting no you know, it's a
mutual love and respect for each other, but it's a
healthy competition with each other and it makes you better.
With sperrit Box too, I've just been a fan for
(24:23):
the last five years. I found out about them about
five years ago and today actually I saw I'm so
proud of them as well. They's got nominated for a Grammy,
which is amazing, and we just being able to bring
them out on the road. And that's the other thing too,
like we shined down. We don't want to be put
in a box from any aspect of who we are
as a band. You know, you should look at all
(24:46):
the lanes and welcome the diversity in that with different
types of you know, musicianship different types of music, different
types of musicians and just different artists, you know, you
don't have to just stick to one particular genre when
you're out there and just letting people know that the
community is very open and we just want to celebrate,
(25:09):
you know, the human spirit and bringing people together. That's
probably the best. I hope that answered your question. There's
a lot of people that lift us up out there,
but the most recent definitely the Spirit Box and the
popa Roach tour that we just finished it. We had
a blast.
Speaker 1 (25:24):
Now, as someone whose face struggles, what do you want
those listening as we wrap things up to know about
those who are struggling from someone who has gone through
what you've gone through? What do you want Let me
try to rephrase that properly.
Speaker 2 (25:40):
No, I know what you mean.
Speaker 1 (25:41):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (25:42):
Good to make sure that your eyes and your ears
are open at all times, or just the make sure
that you you're being open minded, not only for yourself
as you're on your journey, but the people that are
around you as well, the people that you love, your friends,
(26:03):
your family, and even total strangers. I know that's going
to sound a little odd, but again, you have to
remember that your mental health is just as important as
your physical health. And what I would say to people
is if you yourself are dealing with thoughts that you've
never had before and it's coming from a dark place.
Number one understands something. There's nothing wrong with you, like,
(26:25):
you're evolving, you're growing, and it can be scary and
it can be a difficult thing to kind of navigate,
especially if you're having feelings that you never had before.
But inside of that, do not feel ashamed or embarrassed
to ask for help. There are places that you can
go through. There are organizations that can help you. Again,
you know a little bit more on the heavier subject matter,
(26:48):
but you know, one of the most incredible organizations on
the planet is of the AFSP. They're a real organization
that knows how to help people of people the tools
that they need when it comes to mental health. The
other thing that I would say is just in general,
if you notice somebody that's close to you or in
(27:08):
your family or a friend of yours, and you can
tell that something is a bit off or maybe something
has changed behind the eyes, the worst thing you can
do is be quiet and not say something to them.
And it's okay to go up to them and be like, listen,
I'm not one hundred percent sure what's going on, but
you can talk to me. And if I can't help you,
(27:28):
I will find someone that can, you know, and I'll
we'll do it together. But just remember that because and
even if you see a total stranger sometimes and you
can tell something off, something's off, and I know it's
a little bit more ambitious, but going up to that
person and saying, hey, I don't know you, but are
(27:49):
you okay? Because I know people that have done that before,
and the response from total strangers sometimes it's just they
look at them and they're in awe that somebody just
took the time to ask if they were okay today,
And because you could potentially save someone's life. And I
think that's what you got to remember is don't don't
be quiet. And on both sides, if you notice something
(28:13):
with someone, say something to them. And if you yourself
are just you're having a rough go at it, don't
don't stay quiet. Tell somebody that you need to talk
to somebody.
Speaker 1 (28:25):
Just incredible, incredible advice, beautiful advice. And one thing I
could add to that is don't worry. It's all a
symptom of being human. There you go, amazing song. Now
put that on right now. If you're feeling like that,
it will it will change you a beautiful song. Thanks Rin,
I don't I could talk to you for hours, we
(28:45):
don't have that time, so I just want to thank
you so much for your insight, for your time and
inspiration and your music, and thank you for coming on.
Music saved me.
Speaker 2 (28:54):
It's my absolute pleasure. I am happy to talk to
you anytime. I look forward to seeing you like faith
to Faith in the future.
Speaker 1 (29:01):
Thank you so much, Me too, Me too, Thank you
Music Saved Me.
Speaker 2 (00:01):
We played in front of five people before, but we've
also played in front of five hundred thousand people before.
So it's that growth, it's that evolution, and I think
that there's an unspoken respect between this band and our
audience that we want them to be proud of being
(00:21):
a fan of this band.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
Welcome to the Music Save Me Podcast, a podcast about
the healing power of music. We are proud supporters of
Musicians on Call and we urge you to support them
by going to Musicians on Call dot org. They're a
fantastic organization. I'm your host, Lynn Hoffman, and today we
are fortunate, very fortunate to have an artist who leads
(00:44):
a band that makes amazing music and as also someone
who has really put his life's challenges out there for
the world to see and hear, which I always think
is just so amazing. Brent Smith is the founder and
lead singer of the rock band Shinedown, who have a
new album out called Planet Zero, which is fabulous. It's
a really cool way to put out an album with
(01:07):
all the It's almost like a throwback to the way
albums used to be made, really, because you want to
listen from the very beginning all the way to the end. Brent,
Welcome to the show.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
What is happening? It is so nice to meet you,
and I am unbelievably honored to be here today.
Speaker 1 (01:23):
Well, the feeling is mutual. How has music saved you?
Speaker 2 (01:29):
You know what, It's interesting every day it evolved for
me in a lot of different ways. I think that
it saved me because I mean I never started writing
songs because I wanted to be famous. I started writing
songs because I had something to say. But I, you know,
will lighten the mood sometimes with people and say, uh,
(01:49):
you know, writing songs and being a musician it was
cheaper than therapy, because you know, it was. It's just
it's something for me that it was all always there
for me from the moment I entered the earth. You
know what I do as being a singer, a songwriter,
(02:09):
a performer in this industry that we call the music business,
it's something that I take really seriously. So I always
knew what I wanted to do because growing up music
was such a huge part of my life and it
was whatever I was feeling at that moment in time,
you know, And as I was getting older and I
became a teenager into my twenties and so on and
(02:29):
so forth. Music has always been there for me, and
it's more built around the songs because I think of
music if you're talking about a specific instrument or what
have you. But songs, it's there's a message inside of
them because there's a lyric. And I think for me,
whenever I was dealing with something from a cerebral, you know,
(02:50):
point of view, or I was confused, or I didn't
understand something, a song would always come on and it
would it would open the door, it would it would
shine a light on what was going on in my
life at that point in time because it's constantly evolving
and I feel the same way. You know, even in
modern day music is constantly showing me beautiful awareness on
(03:17):
any given day.
Speaker 1 (03:18):
Do you do you believe that it has healing powers?
Speaker 2 (03:22):
Yeah, one thousand percent, one thousand I've watched it cure cancer.
Speaker 1 (03:27):
Really, can you give me the short story on that?
Speaker 2 (03:30):
I mean, so, the thing is, that's so extraordinary. So
our guitar player, Zach Myers, he works with Saint Jude's
and he has for going on the better part of
twenty years. And you know, Saint Judes uses music as
a as a huge tool, you know, in their research
and you know, taking care of these kids and doing
(03:51):
everything in their power to get them into remission. And
you know it, he gets so emotional talking about this
because he's an ambassador for Saint Jude's and uh, you know,
that's one aspect of it. Where like and also too,
we have a lot of people in our lives, uh,
you know, charities that we work with. You know, one
(04:11):
of the biggest, uh charities that we work with is
the a f SP, which is the American Foundation for
Suicide Prevention. And uh. But going back to your your
you know, your question on a daily like, music is
such a powerful instrument because when you're talking about disease
or you're talking about ailments of that kind, you know,
(04:34):
there's a biological element to that, a scientific aspect where
you know, one plus one is two. There can't be
another answer. And so music has this very unique way
of getting into the psyche and into the mind and
building your focus back and building your confidence back because
(04:54):
a lot of times people will forget that you have
your physical health, but your mental health is just as important.
So if you're down or you're you know, not feeling confident,
or there's all these negative things that could be happening.
You have to have a positive mentality, and sometimes it's
difficult to do that. But again, music always seems to
(05:16):
show up when you're at your lowest point sometimes and
you hear the right song at the right time, and
all of a sudden, you're you're right back in the game.
Speaker 1 (05:26):
It really helps you through some of the darkest moments. Sometimes.
I don't think people even realize how much music affects
them and gets them through things. You know, Yeah, if
it's just on in the background.
Speaker 2 (05:39):
Yeah, and it's astonishing too, how your ear will grab
the song in the background when it's relating to the
situation that you may be in. You know, we always
talk about how the We talk about how the universe
is real. It is and it will. You know, the
universe helps you kind of like gravitate towards the people
that you need to gravitate towards. And you know, as
(06:00):
your journey and your life is evolving, you know, present day,
you know, universe put us together today, it.
Speaker 1 (06:07):
Sure did, you know, And the universe puts your fans
right where they need to be too. I know that
they have played a key role in helping lead you
on the path to recovery. Can you just describe a
little bit about how that happens with your fans and
what that means to you.
Speaker 2 (06:24):
I think the biggest thing with the fan base is
that the fan base is constantly growing and evolving. We're
very proud that the audience from a global standpoint, it's
very much eight to eighty. So you know, there are
generations that you know, three and four generations that come
and see us play. And they've always just really been
(06:44):
open minded about allowing us to have a platform. But
the platform they gave it to us, but that platform,
they allow us to be ourselves and they allow us
to evolve. One of the biggest things that they've done
for us and they continue to do, is they're just
massively supportive of what we do in the studio when
(07:04):
we're making a new record. They they're not the type
of audience. There's so much respect between the band and
the audience with us. I've said this for years because
it's true. In Shinedown, we only have one boss. It
just happens to be everybody in the audience and inside
of that, you know, as we make these records. We're
(07:25):
very upfront with them about it, but we also talk
to them about what do they want to hear from us,
and you know, what records do they like the most?
And obviously they're sweet and they say we love them all,
but it's also too having that connection with them where
they understand that when we're asking them their opinions, we
actually mean it and we're actually listening to them. You know,
(07:47):
sometimes bands will get into that, or not even just bands,
because it's not necessarily about rock music, rap music, pop music,
country music. It's about all music. So you know, some
artists and some bands have a fan base that they
want them to do one thing like and they really
love the one thing that they do. And I can't
really speak on that because our audience allows us to
(08:09):
have and go down as many lanes as we want,
and they're just they're down for the ride. And that
means a great deal when you have a fan base
that not only supports you, but also allows you to
be yourself and as a musician and a songwriter, lets
you evolve because you don't. We've never we're not trying
to make the same record over and over again, and
(08:31):
we do our best not to write the same song twice.
Speaker 1 (08:34):
Now, it's interesting that you say that they're very forgiving
and let you kind of just go wherever you want
to go. You know, you've been making incredible music and
also writing for a long time and you've been through
a lot. How does it make you feel today after
all these years, when when your music still really connects
with people, when you can actually see it connecting with them,
(08:58):
or you hear from them and they tell you what
your music and songs have meant to them.
Speaker 2 (09:02):
Well, I mean, it makes me feel that I must
be doing something right. But again, too, I understand the question,
But there's also something else I should say that kind
of like brings this home inside of all of it.
Our success is their success, and and why I say
(09:22):
that is we've got you know, we have fans that
have been with us from when I say day one,
I mean day one, and have been on this journey
with us for two decades now. And then we have
you know, a fan base that they just found out
about us yesterday and they're kind of getting downloaded on
you know, all the records, and you know they they
(09:44):
heard one song or what have you, and you know,
now they're really into the band. But I think about
it from that aspect of it too, which is we've
played in front of five people before. That's the only
people that were in there. Sometimes, like back in the day,
(10:06):
early days, and you got to do that, like sometimes
you're just playing for the bartender and the door man.
And now as I talk to you today, though, I
say it like this. We played in front of five
people before, but we've also played in front of five
hundred thousand people before. So it's that growth, it's that evolution.
And I think that there's an unspoken just respect between
(10:31):
this band and our audience that we want them to
be proud of being a fan of this band.
Speaker 1 (10:40):
You're so transparent with this band, with your music, with
your life. How are you able to do that? I mean,
it's like when you put out an album, it's like
birthing a child, and you just put it out there
and everyone listens to it. Here's it watches your music
videos and you really don't have a choice but to
be judged. It's a difficult thing for most people to
(11:02):
share things like that. How are you able to do that?
Speaker 2 (11:06):
I asked for it, I asked for it. Yeah, I
am so unbelievably lucky that from the moment I entered
the earth, I knew what I wanted to do and
what I wanted to be. Like my granny, who is
still alive, she is such a profound influence on me.
(11:27):
But I you know, I remember she was always like,
find something that you love, and you're never going to
work a day in your life. Now. Don't get me wrong,
I work really, really hard. We all do, and we
try to work smarter, you know, as the years go
by too. But when it all comes down to it,
I asked for this, and I feel like I remember
(11:50):
growing up and seeing people, especially from a mental health standpoint.
I'm in a band that's been talking about mental health
for the better part of two decades, you know, before
it was in the media and it was put to
the forefront, which it is more so now. And that's
part of why it's necessary what Shine Down does, because
that's always been the overwhelming way that we look at things,
(12:15):
is that we want people to understand that these feelings
that you're having and where you're at in your life,
and you're allowed to evolve and have as many human
moments as you need. Or again, we're all a work
in progress. That's the whole point. Like, take a deep
breath and understand that the world that we're in can
(12:37):
be an interesting place to navigate and can be difficult
at times, but you're right where you need to be.
It's about seeing tomorrow and about focusing on that. And
you know, I don't talk about it very often, and
I know it's a connection that the fan base has
with us because of the lyrical side of the band,
(12:57):
But you know, I have a back ground with substance
abuse and it's kind of out there. People know about it.
I don't talk about it all the time because I
can mark, I can compartmentalize things, and I can plan
for the future. And I'm the one also in the
band that does a lot of the business outside of
the creative too. I can both sides of my brain
(13:20):
can work together. But I think about it from that aspect. Also,
you know that part of my personality is something that
I have to understand that I have to deal with
that on a daily basis, one day at a time.
Like I can think into the future and plan for
the future and put tours together and be multifaceted with
(13:40):
a lot of different people and have that structure and
have that schedule. But the addictive part of my personality
and the substance abuse part of my personality, that's something
I have to I have to remind myself that that
is one day at a time, because you know, I
tell people sometimes I didn't drink today, I didn't do
drugs today. I have no idea what I'll do tomorrow.
(14:03):
I just have to focus on that. But I will
tell you this, a very very close friend of mine
and this was something that kind of and it fueled,
It fueled my passion for really being present when we're
writing these songs and writing these albums and really focus
on how big of a platform that we have that
(14:24):
continues to grow because I'm I'm reaching a lot of people,
and I'm blessed for that and honored by that on
a lot of levels. But the most profound thing that
anyone ever told me when it came to that, and
I was in a difficult place in my life because
I was struggling with substances and what have you, is
and it was my friend Theresa, and this was in
(14:46):
the throes of addiction. It was not pretty at all.
It was bad. When I think back to it, I'm
lucky to be alive talking to you today in a
lot of ways, but she said, do you realize that
you are the most dangerous when you're sober? Like you
(15:09):
are the most effective and everybody around you truly loves you,
and they want to be with you, and they want
you to lead them, help lead this, but they don't
want to hang out with the other guy that's inside you,
that's trying to kill you. That dude's not trying to
help you, that dude's trying to end you. To her credit,
(15:30):
she put it in a perspective that I had never
thought about before. But she said to me, she was like,
you are the most dangerous when you are clear headed
and focused and sober. And I remember at that day too,
she looked at me, she was like, it's time to
get your head out of your ass and get back
in the game.
Speaker 1 (15:46):
What did you say?
Speaker 2 (15:48):
I was speechless. I didn't really, I didn't know what
to say. It was like getting It was such a
profound thing to say to me, and it was said
at Once Again Universe. It puts you with the people
you need to be with, and it gravitates you towards
those you've got to be open to the universe to
let it help guide you. I didn't need to say anything.
(16:11):
I didn't need I like she said it all, I
just had to put it into action.
Speaker 1 (16:16):
That's right. That's right. And you and you you have
and you you continue to and wow. I also I
feel like we had the same grandmother too, probably too.
That's a killer because you're you're always in the future
and then rewinding to now to try to figure out
how to get there. Yeah, it's not an easy place
(16:39):
to be, but but it's very rewarding if you can
take people with you and and help them through your
things that help you. It's just amazing. And speaking of which,
how important has it been for you? And thank you
for sharing that story because that's very personal and amazing
and just hearing you say that, what she said to you,
(17:01):
your friend, I think not only affected me, but I'm
sure people listening that hit home.
Speaker 2 (17:07):
So so yeah, it's all about sharing that. Yeah, it's
all about paying it forward.
Speaker 1 (17:11):
Yeah, you know, because you have this power and you've
got to use it for good and clearly you're doing that.
How important has it been for you to forge your
relationship with somebody like Jelly Roll, who has obviously faced
his own challenges and is triumphantly showing how he has
faced those challenges and helping others similarly as you.
Speaker 2 (17:34):
Well, the beautiful thing about it is that relationship between
me and him is it is very, very authentic and
again the universe, man, it'll guide you to people. The
thing about that relationship and jelly role is, and I
want everybody to know this, there is not a more
(17:57):
deserving human being on the planet with the amount of
success this man is seeing right now because he is
just an extraordinary human being on so many different levels.
And when you talk about real that dude, I'm gonna
tell you this right now, you know what's necessary. Jelly
(18:18):
roll is necessary that guy, and none of this has
happened overnight for him. And that's the other thing too.
I mean, me and him talked about this last year
when we were touring together. You've been you've been getting
ready your whole life for what's about to happen to you.
(18:38):
And you know, like when I met him. I met
him in twenty twenty one at Blue Ridge, and like
a lot of people, the very first time that I
found out about him was the song Saved Me on
YouTube and I was early on that I think I was.
I remember that song and it was the live version
when he was in the studio. It has like close
to three hundred and fifty million views now. But the
(19:01):
thing was is that I think I saw it when
it was only about one hundred thousand views or something
like that. But I was so astonished with what I
was listening to and watching with him, and then you
go kind of down the Jelly roll discography and man,
he's been he's been working at this for years, you know.
(19:24):
But when I met him in twenty twenty one, we
were playing Blue Ridge the same day, and so I
went to meeting face to face and we were just
talking and getting to know each other and what have you.
And I said, Hey, will you come up and do
Simple Man with us tonight on stage? And he said really,
And I was like, Yeah, let's go. And so he
and he's just an absolute natural. He is a natural performer,
(19:50):
and he is his energy is infectious, he's charismatic, he's
just he's just so good at what he does and
he genuinely it's all real, that that love that he
has for people, that wanting to help people, that understanding
that it's it's bigger than him, and that this life
(20:14):
of music that we've all been given in this industry,
you know, specifically for him, he respects it on every level.
But he came up there and he did Simple Man
with us, and we recorded it our videoographer Sanjay and
he it's got like five or six million views and
that's just on the stage like a handheld. And so
(20:36):
last year in twenty twenty two, and I had been
talking to him after you know, the Blue Ridge concert
and what have you. So at the top of last year,
I called him and said, I'm going to do a
tour this fall. It's going to be about forty shows.
It's going to be all amphitheaters, so between fifteen thousand
to twenty thousand people a night. Will you be main
(20:56):
support for us? And we brought another young man out
named John Harvey, who's an incredible musician as well and
great songwriter. But this was like February of last year
when I called him and asked him to do it,
and he was like yeah. And when I told management
and everybody too in the label, like we're going to
bring this guy named Jelly Roll out in the fall,
(21:18):
and everyone was like who is that? And I just
remember telling him, you need to trust me. Just trust me. Yeah,
And that whole time that we were out on tour together,
I learned so much from him on any given day
and we would have these moments and times during the day,
(21:40):
but he would as I told him, I said, you
can ask me anything you want while we're out there,
because at the time we were, I believe we were
the first artist that brought him out on a real tour,
meaning like it wasn't just like weekend Warrior stuff, like
it was a ten week tour. It was forty something
days and you were on the road and just he
(22:01):
would ask me questions and I was telling my experiences,
and he had a lot of for you know, foresight
with everything. And I welcomed that too, because I love
the fact that he cared so much about learning every
aspect of the of the industry and what he was doing.
But at his core, he is the realist of the
real and I am so I could not be happier
(22:25):
for another human being.
Speaker 1 (22:27):
Well, it takes one to know one A and B.
I smell a collaborative something in the future with you too.
Speaker 2 (22:35):
He's busy, He's a busy man.
Speaker 1 (22:37):
Yes, and so were you.
Speaker 2 (22:40):
Absolutely, but yeah, I could see something definitely in the
future one thousand percent.
Speaker 1 (22:44):
And you heard it here first. I was I always
wanted to say that. I don't know why. Who are
some of the artists besides Jelly Roll that helped to
lift you up when you were struggling? Can you remember?
Speaker 2 (22:55):
Yeah, I mean there's a lot. I mean I've been
We've been so lucky to have so many like pinch
me moments, like on tour with different bands of the
two decades that we've been doing this, but I mean
the tour that we just finished with Spirit Box and
Papa Roach. I mean the greatest thing about going on tour.
(23:16):
When you can go on tour with your friends, that's
when it's the best. Because you go out, especially like
in the summer when festivals are you know, festival season
and things like that. You see all your friends and
then you start to collaborate with each other and you say, well,
next year, let's do a tour together, and then it
you you know, then it happens and then it's like
summer Camp. It's the best, you know, But popa Roach
(23:39):
is a huge you know, you talk about a band
that just you you watch how incredibly talented they are
and how much and another band, another artist that you
know extremely necessary is Papa Roach and just nothing but
love and light and intense. And me and Jacoby have
(24:01):
always looked at it. We welcome that healthy competition when
when you're on tour together like bring your a game.
We love that because like it's so much better for
the audience because they're getting no you know, it's a
mutual love and respect for each other, but it's a
healthy competition with each other and it makes you better.
With sperrit Box too, I've just been a fan for
(24:23):
the last five years. I found out about them about
five years ago and today actually I saw I'm so
proud of them as well. They's got nominated for a Grammy,
which is amazing, and we just being able to bring
them out on the road. And that's the other thing too,
like we shined down. We don't want to be put
in a box from any aspect of who we are
as a band. You know, you should look at all
(24:46):
the lanes and welcome the diversity in that with different
types of you know, musicianship different types of music, different
types of musicians and just different artists, you know, you
don't have to just stick to one particular genre when
you're out there and just letting people know that the
community is very open and we just want to celebrate,
(25:09):
you know, the human spirit and bringing people together. That's
probably the best. I hope that answered your question. There's
a lot of people that lift us up out there,
but the most recent definitely the Spirit Box and the
popa Roach tour that we just finished it. We had
a blast.
Speaker 1 (25:24):
Now, as someone whose face struggles, what do you want
those listening as we wrap things up to know about
those who are struggling from someone who has gone through
what you've gone through? What do you want Let me
try to rephrase that properly.
Speaker 2 (25:40):
No, I know what you mean.
Speaker 1 (25:41):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (25:42):
Good to make sure that your eyes and your ears
are open at all times, or just the make sure
that you you're being open minded, not only for yourself
as you're on your journey, but the people that are
around you as well, the people that you love, your friends,
(26:03):
your family, and even total strangers. I know that's going
to sound a little odd, but again, you have to
remember that your mental health is just as important as
your physical health. And what I would say to people
is if you yourself are dealing with thoughts that you've
never had before and it's coming from a dark place.
Number one understands something. There's nothing wrong with you, like,
(26:25):
you're evolving, you're growing, and it can be scary and
it can be a difficult thing to kind of navigate,
especially if you're having feelings that you never had before.
But inside of that, do not feel ashamed or embarrassed
to ask for help. There are places that you can
go through. There are organizations that can help you. Again,
you know a little bit more on the heavier subject matter,
(26:48):
but you know, one of the most incredible organizations on
the planet is of the AFSP. They're a real organization
that knows how to help people of people the tools
that they need when it comes to mental health. The
other thing that I would say is just in general,
if you notice somebody that's close to you or in
(27:08):
your family or a friend of yours, and you can
tell that something is a bit off or maybe something
has changed behind the eyes, the worst thing you can
do is be quiet and not say something to them.
And it's okay to go up to them and be like, listen,
I'm not one hundred percent sure what's going on, but
you can talk to me. And if I can't help you,
(27:28):
I will find someone that can, you know, and I'll
we'll do it together. But just remember that because and
even if you see a total stranger sometimes and you
can tell something off, something's off, and I know it's
a little bit more ambitious, but going up to that
person and saying, hey, I don't know you, but are
(27:49):
you okay? Because I know people that have done that before,
and the response from total strangers sometimes it's just they
look at them and they're in awe that somebody just
took the time to ask if they were okay today,
And because you could potentially save someone's life. And I
think that's what you got to remember is don't don't
be quiet. And on both sides, if you notice something
(28:13):
with someone, say something to them. And if you yourself
are just you're having a rough go at it, don't
don't stay quiet. Tell somebody that you need to talk
to somebody.
Speaker 1 (28:25):
Just incredible, incredible advice, beautiful advice. And one thing I
could add to that is don't worry. It's all a
symptom of being human. There you go, amazing song. Now
put that on right now. If you're feeling like that,
it will it will change you a beautiful song. Thanks Rin,
I don't I could talk to you for hours, we
(28:45):
don't have that time, so I just want to thank
you so much for your insight, for your time and
inspiration and your music, and thank you for coming on.
Music saved me.
Speaker 2 (28:54):
It's my absolute pleasure. I am happy to talk to
you anytime. I look forward to seeing you like faith
to Faith in the future.
Speaker 1 (29:01):
Thank you so much, Me too, Me too, Thank you
Host
Lynn Hoffman
Popular Podcasts
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show
The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show. Clay Travis and Buck Sexton tackle the biggest stories in news, politics and current events with intelligence and humor. From the border crisis, to the madness of cancel culture and far-left missteps, Clay and Buck guide listeners through the latest headlines and hot topics with fun and entertaining conversations and opinions.